Dialogue for Hungary calls for an end to attacks on Hungarian civil society

In reponse to Fidesz deputy chairman and MP Szilárd Németh statement in Parliament on Tuesday calling for the “repulsion and expulsion from Hungary” of civil organizations funded in part by George Soros, Hungarian political opposition party Dialogue for Hungary (PM) MP Time Szabó submitted a bill Wednesday calling for the “repulsing and expelling those parties and assemblymen who declare ware on civil society and civil organizations.” The bill provides for those to automatically lose their parliamentary credentials who support steps taken against civil organizations. Furthermore, the bill requires such individuals devote 1000 hours of community service to real civil organization “so they can convince themselves of the useful work the civil organization performs.”

“I am convinced that whoever engages in the persecution of civilian organization is not only harmful but dangerous to Hungarian democracy,” writes Szabó on her Facebook page. “Who does this, supports it, or gives statements (along these lines) should have to leave public life altogether return his parliamentary mandate” she adds.

Szabó’s bill also provides those pseudo-civil organizations acting as “mouthpieces for government propaganda which are illegally financed indirectly should have to submit an annual financial report.

The bill cites Civil Solidarity Forum (CÖF) as an example of such a pseudo-civil organization. PM would obligate CÖF and other pseudo-NGOs to operate transparently and to undertake activities that are useful to society, for example participating in the fight against poverty.